Happy trails to Dr. Gilliom as he retires

Kathy Davis
Communications

Dr. Thomas Gilliom with the elephant he inspected at the Washington State Fair
in Puyallup when the fair featured a circus exhibit. 

For the past five years, Dr. Thomas Gilliom, WSDA field veterinarian, has been dedicated to responding to animal disease outbreaks and preventing them from entering Washington State. At the end of August, he will turn in his agency badge, trading it for some down time and road trips in his ’66 Nova. 

Thomas started at WSDA in May 2013. He previously spent 35 years practicing large and small animal medicine and surgery, mostly in the Columbia River Gorge area. He built two practices; one in Hood River, Oregon and the other in Stevenson, Washington. 

His interest in the role of a regulatory official drew him to the field veterinarian opportunity. He was also looking to try something different. 

“Learning regulatory medicine is 180-degrees different than practice,” Thomas said. “Dr. Eldridge (former state veterinarian) told me, ‘You’ll be drinking from a fire hose” and he was right.”

He also had to adjust to working in a cubicle when not out in the field, and “learning all that IT stuff,” he said. 

Working with his colleagues to protect animal health and prevent diseases from starting or spreading has been the most rewarding part of the job for Thomas. He has been a key player in monitoring West Nile virus and encouraging horse owners to keep their animals vaccinated. 

He was also involved in some high-profile quarantines at King County horse facilities when the equine herpes virus was discovered. 

In Texas, where Thomas was called to assist during an
outbreak of equine disease. 

He’s traveled extensively across Washington State and around the U.S. supporting the mission of animal health. For instance, he was dispatched to Texas in 2014 to assist with an outbreak of equine vesicular stomatitis. 

Thomas is looking forward to taking a break from his veterinary tools after his last day, Aug. 31. He will have more time to pursue his hobbies as a history buff, sous chef, and collector of old Zenith radios. 

And he plans to hit the road in his vintage Chevy Nova - with music cranked up - to visit family and explore the Pacific Northwest. 

Enjoy a well-deserved retirement, Thomas!

In summary: WSDA will soon say farewell to Dr. Thomas Gilliom when he retires at the end of August. Thomas has dedicated his five years with the agency to protecting animal health and responding to animal disease outbreaks. 

Five win prizes in second quarter QUICK Award drawing

Kathy Davis
Communications

Gabriel Allen

Five WSDA employees are eligible to select a prize because their name was randomly selected from the recent fourth quarter QUICK Awards drawing. Agency employees handed out 46 awards to coworkers in Western Washington. Fifteen awards were presented to employees based in Eastern Washington.

QUICK Awards are presented by employees who see their peers demonstrating good work and service to others – either inside or outside the agency. Here are the prize recipients from the most recent quarterly drawing.

Gabriel Allen, Plant Protection, Tacoma, was recognized for expert skills in certifying agricultural products for export. 

Susie Allen

Susie Allen, Plant Protection, Olympia, her ability to accommodate, even when it is not easy or convenient, assures continuing successful relationships with others. 

Lauri J. Guerra, Plant Protection, Prosser, was recognized for his expertise in fruit tree virology (scientific study of viruses) that benefits Northwest growers.

Michael Isensee, Dairy Nutrient Management, Lynden, personally contacted a person making a complaint to Pesticide Compliance. The person was upset about not getting a response to voice mails he left – however, his phone number would not accept messages from WSDA. 

Michael Inseness

Christina Zimmerman, Pesticide Registration and Licensing, Olympia, for taking time out from her daily work duties to assist with an exam situation - impressive teamwork! 

These winners may contact Robin Schaffer in Olympia or Brandy Thompson in Wenatchee to select a prize. 

September 30 next drawing deadline

When you catch one of your coworkers doing something special for staff or customers, why not let them know with a QUICK Award? You can find the award form on the intranet. Forms are also available from your division coordinator or agency receptionists.

In summary: WSDA staff presented 61 QUICK Awards during the second quarter of 2018. Five of their names were randomly drawn to receive prizes. See who they are and why they were recognized by their colleagues.

On our way – WSDA website to get make-over

Kathy Davis
Communications

It is really happening! WSDA’s public website is getting a facelift. On June 25, the successful contractor for our website redesign job held a kick-off meeting to get the process rolling. 

The agency’s project steering committee selected Status Not Quo, a technology and marketing company, to lead us through the process of developing a new, modern web presence. 

The website redesign project has a number of goals. They include:

• Webpages that are vibrant, engaging, interactive, and inviting to the public.
• Accurate, current, and comprehensive WSDA information.
• Ease for web users interacting with the agency.
• Reduced staff time handling routine inquiries.
• Simplified content update process. 
• Mobile friendly and accessible.  

One goal of the WSDA website redesign project is to make
our agency web presence mobile compatible. 

WSDA’s current website design, structure and navigation has been about the same for at least 15 years. Given the accelerated pace of technology change, most organizations – including many Washington State agencies – have upgraded their websites in the past few years. 

For instance, more people view web content on mobile devices than ever before. Getting services and paying online have become commonplace. With everyone’s busy lifestyles and reduced attention spans, web content must be clear and quick-to-find to best serve our customers and the public. 

Next steps

The Status Not Quo team has delivered a project schedule to keep us on track. After a strategy meeting to nail down project objectives, they will next facilitate a series of discovery sessions in late July. Staff recruited to represent all divisions will share their wants, needs, and vision of success for the project. 

The firm estimates the entire process should take about 10 months. If all goes as planned, the new website will launch April 2019.  

The redesign steering committee is leading the effort internally. It consists of:

• Hector Castro, communications director and executive project sponsor
• Yoshi Ouye, chief technology officer
• Curt Secker, supervisor of IT applications development team
• Tim Valdez, webmaster
• Becca Sotelo, graphic designer
• Lisa White, administrative coordinator, Food Assistance Program

Committee members will recruit staff from around the agency to assist with discovery, and provide input along the way. 

If you have questions or comments about the WSDA web redesign project, contact Hector Castro. 

In summary: WSDA’s 15-year-old public website is getting a facelift. The agency has hired a contractor to help lead the process of building a new, modern, mobile-friendly web presence.

WSDA presence on trade missions supports state’s ag economy

Kathy Davis
Communications

WSDA Director Derek Sandison with USDA
Undersecretary Ted McKinney on the Japan
trade mission.

These days, the duties of heading a state ag agency include international relations. With one-third of Washington State’s agricultural products destined for overseas markets, maintaining global trade relations is essential for the viability of our ag industry.  

That’s why both WSDA Director Derek Sandison and Deputy Director Patrick Capper traveled abroad in June. 

Derek went on a trade mission to Japan with the USDA undersecretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and other state agriculture directors. At the same time, Patrick joined a delegation that traveled to Cuba to explore market opportunities there. 

Japan, a mature market

In 2017, Washington exported over $1 billion in food and agricultural products to Japan, making it our second biggest export market. The top export is hay, accounting for $224 in sales. Frozen potato products are close behind at $221 million. Other top exports are fish and seafood, white wheat, dairy products, and beef. 

Derek went to Japan as part of a joint trade mission, organized by the Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) and USDA. 

With the ongoing developments and uncertainty around U.S. trade policy continually in the news, the 13 western state’s ag leaders aimed to strengthen trade relations with this important partner. 

One of the biggest benefits of the trip, according to Derek, was having direct conversations with USDA Undersecretary Ted McKinney. The two were already acquainted, since McKinney had been a state agriculture agency director himself. 

WSDA Deputy Director Patrick Capper, second from left, with Cuban tour guides
Hiroshi and Lester, and at right Zachery Garza, export assistance specialist with
WSDA’s International Marketing Program.

Rianne Perry is manager of WSDA’s International Marketing Program, and she also went to Japan. Before the trip, Rianne solicited input from ag industry representatives. 

In describing one result, she said “Initially, McKinney usually used pork as his prime example of ag industries impacted by the current trade disputes. I noticed that the more he and Derek talked, he began referring to tree fruit as well.” 

Cuba, a potential market

Cuba’s economy has been isolated from much of the developed world since the 1960s, something that is reflected in the numerous vintage American vehicles still on the roads there. However, more official visits from U.S. government representatives, like the one Patrick participated in, have been occurring in recent years.

Along with six other state ag department leaders, Patrick took part in meetings with the Cuban ministries of agriculture, commerce, foreign relations, and tourism. They also visited the U.S. embassy, and toured ag operations and markets.  

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) facilitated the events. NASDA policy supports normalizing relations with Cuba to advance two-way trade, including removing current barriers. 

“Cuba has not had access to the kinds of imported products other countries have had,” Patrick said. “Opportunities exist there to market apples, wheat, dairy, and other ag products.”

Food market in Cuba.

Promoting overseas exports carries economic benefits beyond our state’s farmers and producers, Patrick noted. Exporting supports railways, ports, air services, barges and ocean vessels, and other industries important to the economy of Washington and the U.S. 

“Showing up for direct talks with our overseas partners maintains these vital trade relationships,” he said. “Multi-state missions also allow us to network with our partner states so we have a unified and consistent voice in trade policy.” 

Bottom line – trade missions to foreign countries represent the hard work of sustaining export markets that support Washington State agriculture and WSDA’s mission. 

In summary: From Asia to South America to points around the globe, maintaining and growing export trade markets is vital to sustaining Washington’s ag industry. Learn how WSDA leaders are supporting international trade. 

Staffers represent on state commodity commissions

Kathy Davis
Communications

Attending meetings is a ubiquitous reality for many state employees. For the 19 WSDA employees who Director Derek Sandison has appointed to represent him on the state’s commodity commissions, meetings are a big part of the job. 

Hector Castro, WSDA communications director, serves
tater tots to the public at a Seattle beer festival as our
representative on the Potato Commission.

But sometimes the work can be more interesting – like spending Father’s Day weekend giving away free tater tots at a beer festival in Seattle. 

That’s what Hector Castro, WSDA communications director, did as the agency rep to the Potato Commission. 

“Not only did I get to know the commission staff better,” he said. “I also heard from the general public who were very curious about what they were eating. It was wonderful insight into what consumers care about.”

Wide variety

Twenty-two Washington commodity commissions promote state agriculture by educating the public about specific products and supporting their production. The commissions cover a wide array of ag products – from asparagus and wine, to grain and dairy. 

Commissions are state agencies and are supported by WSDA’s Fairs and Commodity Commissions Program, managed by Teresa Norman. They vary greatly in size, authority and governance, according to Teresa. 

These commissions are funded by assessments collected on producers of the commodities they represent. Their annual budgets range from less than $100,000 to more than $1 million. 

Derek is represented on every commission’s board by an agency designee he appoints. 

Job connection

Victor Shaul, Seed Program manager, takes the prize for being a rep on the most commissions – three, to be exact. He’s been on the Alfalfa and Turfgrass Seed commissions for about 10 years and spent about four years on the Oilseeds Commission. 

His work gives him an obvious link. “All the growers and handlers on these commissions are the seed growers and companies we work with,” he said. 

“I find it interesting that each group has its own culture in how they operate and what their goals are,” Victor added. 

Promoting pulses

Scott Steinbacher has a similar direct work-related connection as the rep on the Pulse Crops Commission. 

Erik Johansen (foreground), rep on the Commission on Pesticide
Registration, visits an alkali bee bed on a field tour in Touchet
 and Gardena (between Tri-Cities and Walla Walla), hosted
by the Alfalfa Seed Commission. Cindy Cooper, Plant Services
 Program manager, is the rep on the Seed Potato Commission
 – she was also on the tour and took this photo.

Scott is the regional Grain Inspection Program manager based in Spokane. “Our five offices inspect most of the pulse crops as they come off the field and then again after the product has been processed and prepared for distribution,” he said.

Along with attending the requisite meetings and giving agency and state updates to the commission board, Scott attends the annual conventions of the U.S. Dry Pea and Lentil Commission. 

“The annual meeting is always very interesting as it brings people together from around the world and many parts of the pulse crop life – farmers, processors, consumers, and chefs,” he said.  

Marketing assist

WSDA commission representatives serve three-year terms and can be re-appointed. Having stable representation benefits both the commissions and the agency. 

When Julie Johnson was appointed to the Beer Commission in 2016, its executive director told her they’d had a new rep nearly every year for the past six years.

“I told him I wasn’t planning to go anywhere!” said Julie, who is an export development and outreach trade specialist with the International Marketing Program. 

As the state’s beer industry looks to expand their business from domestic to foreign markets, Julie’s experience in marketing and outreach, as well as her communication skills, is an asset to those companies. 

Julie attends the commission’s meetings in Seattle every two months, giving updates on what her program is up to. She also gets invited to the festivals the commission puts on to promote Washington-made brews. Last year, she went to the annual Brewers Festival in Seattle’s Marymoor Park and said it was great to see in-person these events that are discussed at the business meetings. 

Like Julie, Hector Castro’s background and current work in marketing and communications led to his appointment to the Potato Commission. He previously worked with them on marketing activities and went on a commission-sponsored trade mission to Southeast Asia. He’s serving on their marketing committee now. 

“Plus,” he said, “I really love potatoes.” 

In summary: A WSDA staff member represents the agency on each of the 22 state commodity commissions that promote an array of ag products. What does that mean? Hear from some of those reps on the Insider.

Women entering Grain Inspection Program ranks

Kathy Davis
Communications

Colleen Butcher (front) and Kami Hooper are supervisors
at the Kalama Grain Inspection Program office.

They came out of occupations that lacked stability or advancement. They may have never heard about the government’s responsibility to inspect shipments of U.S.-grown grain headed overseas. But once they did, they saw opportunity and interesting work. 

WSDA’s Grain Inspection Program, part of the Commodity Inspection Division, had long been a male-dominated environment. That’s starting to change, with more women being hired into the program and moving up the leadership ladder. 

The proportion of female staff has increased over the past decade – from 17 percent of 110 employees in 2008 to 21 percent of 150 as of May 2018. 

Starting out, moving up

Kami Hooper had been a city of Kelso water-meter reader for 14 years when she went looking for a career change. She saw a state recruitment for an inspector-in-training, applied, and started working at the Kalama North Grain Inspection Office in March 2012. 

She spent years working graveyard shift. Grain offices operate 24/7 to offer inspection service to shipping companies as needed around the clock. They staff shifts based on how many ships are docked at the grain elevators waiting for inspections. 

To be a grain inspector, you must pass tests to become licensed for various crops, such as wheat, corn, soybeans, and sorghum. While Kami described studying for and taking the tests as “nerve-wracking,” she got all her licenses in 2016. 

Having moved to day shift due to seniority and achieving her “C level” licensing, Kami become an acting supervisor in February 2017. And in March of this year, that appointment was made permanent. 

Supervisors oversee a crew assigned to one of the three grain elevators at Kalama. The job entails ensuring the smooth running of day-to-day operations. That includes staff scheduling and payroll, verifying that all inspection paperwork is correct, and problem-solving between workers and the company side. 

Inspector Laura Gould working at the Kalama Grain office.

Environment changed

Colleen Butcher is also a supervisor at Kalama. Before she was hired in 2010, she had been a waitress at a local restaurant, where one of her customers told her about job openings in the Grain Program. 

She did her time on graveyard and swing shifts, and worked to earn her C license, becoming the first woman supervisor in the Grain Program four and a half years ago. 

“Since I have been in the job, the working environment and atmosphere has changed a lot – for the better,” Colleen said. 

Kami agreed that the culture has changed. She said it was “rough” when she first started; it rattled her to be yelled at. And she worried about being a woman supervisor. 

“But it helped that they had known me from my years working here,” she said. “As long as I approach and treat everyone with respect, I get it back.”

New recruits

Newer to the Grain Program, Meagan Welch transferred in February from the Tacoma Grain Office to the Quality Assurance/Quality Control Office, located in the WSDA Cleveland Building in Tumwater.  

After going to school, working in restaurants and traveling, Meagan started applying for state jobs, looking for something more stable. 

As an inspector-in-training, she recently had the chance to attend a three-day seminar in Kansas City, home of USDA’s Federal Grain Inspection Service National Grain Center. USDA has officially delegated WSDA to conduct federal grain-inspection services. 

“I have noticed that the (grain inspection field) is pretty male dominated,” Meagan said. “But I don’t think about it. I feel treated equally and that’s what matters.” 

All three women I spoke with said they would like to stay with the Grain Program and could envision moving up the career ladder. 

As Colleen put it, “There’s nothing this industry presents that we (women) couldn’t do.”

In summary: The workplace is changing and so is WSDA’s Grain Inspection Program, becoming more diverse, and seeing more women entering the field and moving into leadership positions.

Good news in long battle to stop animal mistreatment and food safety violator

Kathy Davis
Communications

WSDA Food Safety inspector Mike
Tokos on the site of the Vilog
meat-slaughter facility.

Thanks to the hard work and persistence of many WSDA staffers, justice scored a victory last month when a judge sentenced the operator of a King County meat-slaughter facility to 90 days of jail time plus a year of probation.  

In a case that began in 2011, WSDA pursued progressively more serious enforcement action on Rickson Vilog, who at the time ran a licensed custom slaughter operation. Over the following years, Food Safety Program inspectors documented many repeat violations. 

In 2014, after Vilog faced suspension of his license, he agreed to make sanitary improvements, but did not follow through. As a result, WSDA revoked his license in November 2014. Follow-up visits confirmed that he continued to slaughter cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. He also was cutting and wrapping the meat for customers - all without a license. 

Grisly scene

A sheep at the site; cattle, pigs, goats and sheep
were custom slaughtered for meat.

What inspectors saw at the facility was gruesome, and warning - not for the faint of heart. Inspector Mike Tokos was there after the court had ordered the business not to slaughter or process custom meat or have livestock onsite. 

Some observations from his report include:

• A total of 346 livestock onsite, including 142 sheep and 127 goats.
• Dead sheep and severed heads, blood, cutting equipment with fresh meat debris.
• Unsanitary slaughter and processing areas that were open to the outside. 
• Slaughtered animals lying on the floor. 
• Carcasses with rodent droppings and gnaw marks. 
• Cow head over 30 months old and a BSE (mad cow) risk. 

Working with Assistant Attorney General Janis Snoey, the agency filed motions with King County Superior Court to enforce the law and get Vilog to stop. However, he continued to defy every court order. At a hearing on Dec. 7, 2016, WSDA told the court that Vilog had slaughtered and processed an estimated 500 animals since the summer. 

Just when WSDA staff believed they had run out of enforcement options, USDA stepped in and picked up the case. USDA's search warrant authority and undercover investigations help secure evidence to charge Vilog with distributing custom meat to retail establishments, a serious violation of federal law. 

WSDA evidence is key

Vilog was indicted in federal court in November 2017 on two felony counts of meat adulteration and one misdemeanor count of inhumane slaughter. On May 11, Vilog was sentenced to 90 days in jail, followed by one year of supervised probation. If he operates a slaughter facility without a license while on probation, he will be sent back to jail. 

Livestock penned together on the Vilog site.

“The U.S. attorney who prosecuted the case against Mr. Vilog expressed appreciation for all the years of work by WSDA,” said state AAG Janis Snoey. “It was WSDA’s evidence that convinced the judge.”

The long-term, coordinated efforts of agency staff across divisions made this outcome possible. Food Safety led the way. They were supported by Animal Services Division staff who documented how Vilog continued to acquire livestock. The Agriculture Investigation Program, within the Plant Protection Division, denied his livestock dealers license. The state Attorney General’s Office provided legal counsel and services. 

Hats off to the following staff members who played key roles in this long and difficult case: 

• Food Safety - Shelly Haywood, Lucy Severs, Mike Tokos, Roger Beekman, Wil Satak, Julie Neil, David Smith, Keren LaCourse, Candace Jacobs, and Linda Condon
• Agriculture Investigation Program – Jerry Buendel, David Robinson, Patrick Ditter, Autumn Dryden, and Karen Sanders.
• Animal Services – Stacy Gunderson, Kris Budde, Kyle Schaffer, Lori McCown, Kerrie Pfalzgraf, and David Bangart.
• Attorney General – Janis Snoey and Mark Calkins. 

In summary: Dedicated and persistent work by WSDA staffers across divisions provided the key evidence a judge used to sentence a meat-slaughter operator to jail. This case, involving violations of food safety and animal treatment, took seven years to come to justice.